Iridium GO Firmware update – SBD functionnality

11 October, 2018

Iridium GO! Firmware Update v2.1.8 Available

Iridium Short Burst Data Now Supported

A new firmware release for the Iridium GO!® is now available, which allows Iridium Short Burst DataSM (SBD) to be supported. With the core component of the Iridium GO! being the Iridium Core 9523 Transceiver, Iridium GO! has always been capable of supporting Iridium Short Burst Data. This new release enables the Iridium GO! to be provisioned to send/receive short bursts of data via SBD; effectively extending the Short Burst Data capability to smart devices through third party applications, which are custom built with the Iridium GO! SBD API.

Iridium Short Burst Data is ideal for applications such as lone worker safety, report submissions, log updates, weather updates, tracking and much more; anything that requires short and frequent data transmissions. Although Iridium currently do not have any Iridium GO! SBD compatible applications in the market, several developers are in the process of building their own app. Any partners interested in obtaining the SBD API and development of an Iridium GO! compatible application solution, please reach out to the Iridium GO! Product Manager, Ankita Baliarsingh. SBD standard rate will apply to Iridium GO! devices using SBD.

Please note, that while the Iridium GO! supports multiple Circuit Switched Data (CSD) applications, when utilizing SBD, only one SBD application is allowed due to the API design.

While this firmware release is not mandatory, it is recommended that the upgrade be performed as soon as possible to ensure the best end user experience.